African Safari – Day 2
Location: Ngorongoro National Park Crater
Lodging: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

Saturday morning began with a game drive on our way to the crater. Still en route, we stopped to visit Maasai village where our group had the opportunity to interact with members of this nomadic tribe.  We were invited into their home. I was amazed that such tall people could be comfortable inside these small huts. But once inside and out of the sun, “comfort” took on a whole new meaning.

Dad and I talked at length with a young man who was about my age. Of course, he asked why I wasn’t married yet. If only it were as simple as getting hitched to a man who has killed a lion and offers my dad 100 cows. My world is somehow lacking men with those kinds of credentials 😉

The Maasai are what you might imagine as the tribal ‘face’ of East Africa. Their brightly colored cotton capes called Shúkà replaced animal skins in the 1960’s. We gathered the red cloth was for younger individuals and blue for older members.

Evening lectures focused on treating patients who had had a brush with animals with tentacles or venomous marine life. Important note: flush out a jellyfish wound with vinegar not human pee.  The lectures also touched on snake bites on ankles and we wrapped up with wild animal attacks. A few chuckles could be heard among the group since earlier that day, at the gate of the crater, we had a very close encounter with a baboon. I probably could have given that part of the lecture 😉  It’s a great story that I can recount for you next time we’re swapping stories.

Tomorrow, we would embark into the Ngorongoro crater.

Photos from my Canon Rebel T5.

Photos from my iPhone.